Photo: Mario Tama / Getty Images News / Getty Images
A United Airlines flight bound for New Jersey was forced to make an emergency return to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Monday (March 2) after passengers and crew reported an apparent engine fire shortly after takeoff, prompting a temporary ground stop at one of the nation's busiest airports.
Flight 2127 departed LAX just before noon local time, headed for Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, when the crew detected a possible engine fire on the left side of the plane. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, safely returned to LAX, where all 256 passengers were evacuated onto the taxiway using emergency slides and airstairs.
United Airlines confirmed that no one was seriously injured. A statement from the carrier noted only a couple of minor cuts that required bandages. "Customers deplaned via slides and airstairs and were bused to the terminal," the airline said. "We are grateful to our pilots and flight attendants for their quick actions to keep our customers safe."
Air traffic control audio captured the flight crew telling controllers they had "one engine shutdown" before requesting an evacuation due to continued fire warnings. Passengers were instructed to leave all bags behind before exiting the plane. Video footage obtained by ABC News showed smoke billowing from the engine after the aircraft landed.
The incident triggered a temporary ground stop at LAX, affecting other flights at the airport. United Airlines arranged for a replacement aircraft to carry the passengers to their original destination in Newark.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed it will investigate the incident. The FAA has not yet released a timeline for when findings from the investigation will be made available.